Toy aeroplane.



W. i". HALEY.V TOY ABROPLANE.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 10, 1912.

Patented June 3, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

on., 0 T y E V r By m A HUH/ W. F. HALEY.

TOY AEROPLANB.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1o. 1912.

Patented June 3, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IVIT'LSSES:

/f/ ffy/i4@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TOY AEROPLANE.

Specification o-f Letters Patent.

Patented June 3, 1913.

Application filed May 10, 1912. Serial No. 696,320.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, VHLIAM F. HALEY, a citizen `of the United States of- America, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Toy Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in toy aeroplanes of the type in which a plurality of supporting planes are employed to keep the toy afloat and in which a plurality of propeller blades are used for driving the machine through the air.

The object of the invention relates particularly to the winding device for the propeller blades. Heretofore it has been ditiicult matter to wind the springs ,or other device which drive the blades, to a uniform tension, so that when the winding mechanism is removed from the machine the blades will be driven at the same speed and will .rotate for the same length of time. This ditliculty is especially hard to overcome Where more than one propeller blade is used.

Referrin to the drawings,forming a part of this app ication, Figure l is a plan view of my invention clearly illustrating the arrangement of the propeller blades, the supporting planes. and the winding mechanism for the propeller blades, also showing the supporting frame-work which is partially composed of flexible members. `"'Fi'g. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. l showing the manner in which the aeroplane is supported when at rest and also the manner in which the supportin planes are arranged or connected to the rame-work, and in dotted lines the position of the rear suporting plane at the beginning of the Hight. gig. 3 is an enlarged detailed plan View partially in section, 'of the winding mechanism for the propeller blades showing how the rubber bands which drive the propeller blades are attached thereto, and also the means for imparting a rotary motion to this winding mechanism. Fig. 4 is an end: elevation on an enlarged scale of'Fig. 3 clearly showing how the endless WindingI ribbon is arranged to pass around the barrelel'ement of the winding mechanism to impart y a twisting movement to the rubber or elastic bands w-hich drive the propeller blades.

Fig. 5 is a modification of the connectingmeans between the windingvmechanism and the propeller blades.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a, I) and c designate three longitudinally arranged members'of the frame which are arranged in the same plane, the members 7) and c being pivotally connected at their front and rear endsto plates or bridgepieces d and e, andl extending between the plates c is a transverse rod f.

g designates the pins by means of which the elastic rods a and c are piv'otally connected to the plate dl L designates the pivot pins by means of which the flexible rodsl a and c are connected to the rods c at their rear ends.

i is a tubular member through which the transverse rod f passes and to which it is 4secured by means of pins z'.

The bar b passes loosely through the part 2 of the member z' and is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 with the plate z' drawn for# ward. As the bars a and c spring outward during the winding process the rod f and the plates e and z' assume the dotted line positions.

Referring now particularly to the winding mechanism by means of which the rubber bands shown at and c. and which extend from the propeller shafts m to the winding barrel 0 are wound.' The barrel 0 consists of a cylindrical part having bearing portions p in the parallel members g which are an integral part of t-he plate d. Attached to the barrel member o are outwardly extending arms 1 which are folded back as shown at s and then forward again as shown at t whereby a V-shaped loop u is formed, and passing through these loops on opposite sides of the machine are the rubber bands j and 7c. It will be noticed in Figs. 1 'and 3 that the part t extends slightly forward or outside of the ring o. Passing over the barrel portion o is an endless tape or belt Lv for rotating the barrel and this rotation is accomplished by means of the band w engaging the pins w so that when the operator pulls on this tape orbelt in the direction indicated-by the arrow y the bar- -rel will be rotated causing the rubber bands j and L to be twisted' in opposite directions as shown by the arrows 3 and 4. The tape fw is guided' by the pins w1 and Q02. It should be particularly observed' from the 'construction of the barrel and the arrangement ofthe ring o and the V-shaped part t, that when the band' fw is drawn forward lthe rubber bands 3. and 4e will slip from one side of the member t to the other Ithus preventing the inner ends of the rubber bands from winding around the barrel or drum, the ring -v Serving to always maintain the attaching end of the bands y' and in the bottom part of the V-shaped part t.

The `two propeller blades are shown at 5 and 6 and are mounted, on the shafts m which extends beyond the blades 5 and 6 and are formed with a loop in each as shown at 7 and 8. The outer ends of the rubber bands j and c are attached to the shafts m as shown at m1. These shafts pass through t-he bar f and in which they revolve. During the winding operation a wire 9 having a loop 10 therein is temporarily inserted in theloops 7 and 8 to prevent the propeller blades from rotating while the drum o is being actuated by the endless band fw, and after the rubber bands y' and 7c are wound up sutliciently tight the wire 9 is removed by simply pressing inward on the sides of the loop 10 thereby withdrawing the ends of the wire 9 from the loops 7 and 8. This permits the wound up bands ,7' and 7a to readily unwind and rotate the vpropeller blades 5 and 6 in the opposite direction for the purpose of propelling the toy through the air. The Wire 9 is also provided with loops 91 to retain the same in place in the loops 7- and 8 during the Winding operations.

Located on the flexible bars a and 0 is an elastic or rubber band 11 so that when the bands j and k are wound up the bars a and c will be bowed outward into the dotted line position a1 and c1. At the same time the rubber band 11 is stretched to the dotted line position 111. This construction serves to draw theA bars a and c back again lto the full line` position simultaneously with the unwinding and lengthening of the bands j and lc' and therefore assists in automatically maintaining a constant or uniform rotation of the propeller blades 5 and 6.

12 and 13 designate supporting planes that are attached to the frame work of the toy. The plane 12 being slightly curved as shown in Fig. 2 with one end attached to the middle brace b as shown at 121. Its rear portion is designed to slide upon a wire 14 which is attached to the plate and the bar I) respectively. This Wire, as shown in Fig. 2,` is arranged in an inclined position on the plane 12 before the rubber bands j and 7c are wound up and the. dotted lines the position .of the plane after the bands are wound', thus when the machine starts to fly, plane 12 is in inclined position and at the end of the flight it assumes nearlyI the original position as shown in Fig. 2 at full' lines. The purpose. of causing the plane- 12 to assume such a position is that as the machine runs down, the return ofthe plane 12;

the machine in flight, and is automatically operated by means of the inclinedwire 14 and the flexible bars a and 0. Plane 13 is attached to the middle brace bar b by means of the wires 131 and 132.

For supporting the machine when not in use a plurality of rollers is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and these consist ofa piece of wire twisted into a circular shape as indicated at 15 and 16v which are rotatively mounted on t-he shafts 17 and 18 which wires are carried upward and attached to the brace bars I) and c respectively, as indicated at 19 and 20.

As a modification in which the rubber band 11 is omitted I may insert between the inner end of the shafts m, on which propeller blades 5 and 6 are mounted and the ends of the rubber bands lc, a coiled spring 21 in which during the winding operat-ion of the rubber bands 7' and c will as they shorten, separate the coils of the spring 21 and during the unwinding operation of the bands j and lo the coils 21 will again come together and thus' serve to exert a longitudinal tension on t-he bands 7' andlc and thus prolong the rotative movement. of the propeller blades in the same manner that the band 11 serves to bring back and lengthen the bars a and c in Fig. 1 to their original full line position.

It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown in the figures in which the middle bar b slides through the perforated plate z' as I lnay have the bar t) slide freely through the plate d at the front end of the machine and have the bar xed, which construction would be a simple reversal of that herein shown and described and would not in any way change the operation or the result already described.

It is to be-understood that my invention is not limited to the winding up of the rubber bands for two propellers as it may be used to wind up a single rubber band to operate a single propeller only.

What I claim, is:

1. In a toy aeroplane, the combination with the frame-Work and 4the pro-pellers located thereon, elastic bars extending from the pro-pellers to the Winding means, said means comprising a rotatable member, elastic devices extending from said member to the propellers, means to cause the elast-ic devices to be operated in opposite directions.

`2. In a toy aero lane, the combination with a supporting rame, of a plurality of propeller blades, a winding device, elastic connections between the blades and said device, the said Winding device being provided with projections over which a Wlndmg tape device passes, meansk to retain the propeller blades stationary during the winding operation, and to simultaneously release them at the end of the winding operation. to a horizontal posltion helps. to maintain In a toy aeroplane, the4 combination with a supporting frame of a plurality of propeller' blades, a winding drum, elastic connections between the blades and the drum, the drum being provided with projections over whicha winding tape passes, means to retain the propeller blades station; ary during the winding operation and to simultaneously release them at the end of the Winding operation, a supportingplane and means to automatically `incline the plane during the winding operation and to cause it .to assume substantially a horizontal position during the unwinding operation.

4f. A winding device for toy aeroplanes comprising a member mounted for rotation, a V-shaped element carried thereby, a device into which the V-shapedelement projects, wherebyV when an elastic motor device or band is attached to the V-shaped element a twisting motion will be imparted thereto.

5. In a to)7 aeroplane the combination, a supporting frame ieXible members at the side adapted. to bow outward, anv inclined element `on the frame, a supporting Vplane engaging said element to cause Ait to assume an inclined position as the side members are bowed outward. y

VT6. A device to impart a twisting or turning movement toan elastic band comprising a rotatable or'barrel member, att-aching'devices on the Vmember and to which -one end of the band is secured, saiddevicesincluding a guard element movable with the'rotatable member to prevent the band from winding on the Vattaching device.

7. In a toy aeroplane, a frame work, a supporting plane thereon, propelling devices Afor the toy, means to position the plane xat an angle to the frame-work in proportion as the propelling devicesare in a wound or unwound condition, said means comprising an inclined member attached to the framework, and means on said plane to en gage the inclined member, as described.

8. A winding device comprising a barrel member, a tape or belt device to rotate said member, an attaching device to which anV elastic band or element is secured, and a guard member to prevent the band from. coiling around the barrel member. l

9. ln a toy aeroplane, the combination, a

lrigid frame-Work, propeller devices therewardly extending portions in which' saidl drum is mounted, and guiding devices in said o-rtions over which a winding tape or belt passes as described. v

l1. In a toy aeroplane, the combination, a pair of propellerv blades, shafts to support the same and formed with a loop at their ends, means to rotate the same in opposite directions, means inserted in the loops to simultaneously retain the blades against rotation while being wound and to permit the blades to be simultaneously released. l

1'2. In a winding device for a toy aeroplane, the combination with a frame, a pair of propeller blades, elastic means extending fromthe winding device tosaid blades, means to simultaneously rotate the elastic means in opposite directions, means to prevent the elastic means from coiling up on the `winding device and means toK simultaneously ret-ain the pair of propeller blades against movements during the winding up operation.

13. In a. toy aeroplane the combination with the frame-work, a propeller blade, a Winding device, an elastic motor device connecting the winding device and the propeller blade, an elastic member of the frame being adapted to bow outwardly as the motor device is wound up, whereby when the motorV device runs down the return of the elastic member to vits original position will assist and prolong the operation of thedmotor device which drives the propeller bla e.

WILLIAM FRANKLIN HALEY.

Witnesses:

.HARRY W. BOWEN,

K. I. CLnMoNs. 

